Comments on IT Annual Report2014-11-30T04:53:01Zhttp://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/Oh-I-See/it-annual-report/feed/atom/By: FurleyDigitalFurleyDigitalhttp://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/Oh-I-See/?p=132#comment-992011-07-24T21:59:57Z2011-07-24T21:59:57ZGreat post Arun – I think you are right on track.

Preparing an IT Annual Report is a fantastic way to link IT activity to business strategy, and to highlight achievements that otherwise may be overlooked. I believe IT’s influence in organisations is under threat as the function becomes seen as more operational and increasingly reports through Finance. Savvy CIO’s recognise the need to counter this through better business engagement, and find that an IT Annual Report is a surprisingly powerful way to do this. Not only does the Annual Report help promote the value IT provides, but the process of compiling one is good for IT. It reinforces the need to focus on what is important to customers, and shines the spotlight on tangible measures of progress.

It is disappointing that more CIOs haven’t picked up on the idea of producing an IT Annual Report. Intel has been a ground breaker for IT Annual Reports since 2005, and slowly there are more organisations doing the same, often less publicly. We have worked with some, developing both hard copy and interactive online versions. Often distribution is restricted to internal use and to key suppliers.

We have also seen that increasingly consultants like McKinsey are recommending an IT Annual Report.

We have also had interactions with Intel in their office at Bangalore and had seen this annual report. This is a very different and interesting way of presenting the acheivements and activities of IT. Seldom do we present our achievements to CXOs and top managment.

This will also give us a total picture and also reflect on the way to go forward.